LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL STING

Taxi drivers have been snared in undercover stings attempting to rip off Liverpool fans after matches at Anfield.

A black cab driver and a private hire driver have both been ordered to pay hundreds of pounds after being found guilty of illegal practices including cherry picking and attempting to rip off Reds fans by charging extortionate fares before journeys.

Last year, the ECHO ran a number of reports of issues around taxi and private hire drivers attempting to rip off matchgoing fans - with some drivers coming forward to say such actions were taking place every time Liverpool played at Anfield.

Cherry picking is where unscrupulous black cab drivers wait outside the match with their ‘for hire’ sign not lit. They claim to be unavailable but when a potential fare comes along they are suddenly ready to go. The snag is, they keep the meter off and end up charging the passenger well over the odds.

 In some examples passengers have been charged £20 or more for a journey that would have cost as little as £5 if the meter was on.

Plying for hire is where private hire drivers attempt to pick up passengers who have not booked in advance – meaning the journey is illegal and the driver is uninsured.
The council is clamping down on those ripping fans off at matches (Image: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Following these reports, Mayor Joe Anderson vowed to tackle the issue - and launched undercover operations after a number of matches in order to catch dodgy drivers in the act.

This involved council officers posing as passengers to see if they could identify those not playing by the rules.

And on the day the new Premier League season kicks off - it has been revealed that those undercover stings have been successful.

 This week some of the drivers snared in the operation faced their day in court.

This included Liverpool-based Hackney Carriage driver Alan Duringer, who admitted cherry picking when facing the city’s magistrates.

The court heard that Duringer was parked on Walton Breck Road close to Anfield at the end of Liverpool’s clash with West Brom in January.
Taxi and private hire drivers have been in court for a number of offences after Anfield matches (Image: Bristol Live)

The undercover officers asked if he could take them to Lime Street. Durringer said he had a £20 fare booked but if they could cover it, he would take them.

He was ordered to pay £280 in fines and costs by the court.

At the same match, Wirral-based private hire driver Musleh Uddin was caught plying for hire when he again agreed to take two undercover officers to Lime Street for £20 despite the journey not being booked in advance.

Uddin admitted plying for hire and driving without insurance and was ordered to pay £375 and given six penalty points.

Ahead of Liverpool's Anfield curtain raiser with West Ham on Sunday afternoon, Mayor Anderson has warned that further undercover opertations will be taking place.

Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson said: “This kind of behaviour is completely unacceptable. Football fans in the city have the right to enjoy the match without the fear that they might be getting ripped off or taking an uninsured ride on the way home.

“We have listened to the fans who complained about this last season and have taken action. The vast majority of cabbies and private hire drivers in our city are honest and decent and will not try and overcharge people. However, for those who are not, we will be carrying out similar operations this season with a view to prosecuting all those who are caught..”

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